NOTES BY THE WAY

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXVI, Issue 3447, 19 November 1932, Page 5

NOTES BY THE WAY

(By Rambler.) It’s becoming more clear every day that Germany won the war after all. She’s got rid of the reparation payments and is going to have the right of equal armaments with the rest of Europe. Not having anyone to fight with Germany is having a few domestic bust-ups to keep herself in training for another big scrap. Doubting Communists are not to lose hope, says a mass of Comirmnistic literature just issued, as a universal war is inevitable, and is not far distant. Why can we not be optimistic about it, too? I see we are not allowed to play euchre now. Well, I can only say that I would like to see Messrs. Forbes, Coates, Holland and Lee engaged in an exciting but peaceful game of “coon-can.” Or is it legal? One never knows in this fair land of ours. Who says that strikes are no use? Cooke may be turning back to the Rugby code from League owing to some jolly freezing works dispute, for he has accepted employment in the country, where Rugby is and League isn’t. Long live the dispute—perhaps. De Groot’s claim, which arose from the cutting of the ribbon at the Sydney Bridge incident, has been settled out of court. So bang goes another sensation! But does this include anything dealing with a markedly similar incident about 12 miles north of Te Kuiti? A member of the Nelson Automoblie Association has taken execution to a certain hoarding, which he alleged contained a picture of “a girl with a wicked eye,” which distracted his attention while driving. I suggest that if a picture affects him that badly he should not be allowed to drive, for what will happen when he meets a few of the originals of the picture? A young man has been arrested fully dressed in woman’s clothing in Auckland. At the trial it was stated he did not appear to be normal. So that, girls, is the opinion of the Court on the latest fashions. So we did not see the Leonid meteors the other night. Never mind, with the dry weather coming on we still have the chance of seeing a few bush and fern fires. I suppose that the season for spotting the first shining cuckoo is now well over, but that for spotting the first “boater” is still in full swing, according to reports in many country papers. Has anyone in Te Kuiti sported the headgear that _ would mark him as a man of fashion and a follower of the Prince of Wales? As a gesture to Australia’s oldest industry the Canberra University College has adopted the woollen tie for students. They are not stopping at that, either, runs the report. Well, other organisations could follow their lead. For schools the usual leather strap could be substituted by a woollen article; wool could be used for the hangman’s noose, and the same material might be used in the manufacture of red tape, even as the revenue from it is used now. And so on.

I see that every case wherein the State mortgagor desires relief will be taken on its own merits. _ Probably the same procedure will be used in apportioning the vegetables still thriving in the main street. Last week Parliament dealt with a Bill providing for the registration of fowl runs with a population of over a dozen. This week tomato growers are being* dealt with in the same way. Next week there may be Bills to provide for the separate registration of growers of parsnips, carrots and potatoes. The only thing I hope for is some plan to control the power of those responsible for the growth of legislation. The Independent candidate for Motueka, the Hon. R. McKenzie, in a recent speech, stated that “he knew at least twelve members of the Coalition Government who were not in accord with its policy, and he did not see how they could hang together.” As a veteran politician the Hon. Roderick might have been more happy in his phraseology. It is stated that there has been an increase of profits from the workings of the railways for the month ending October 15th. Good! But not quite so good is the “increase of prophets” who are foretelling what is going to happen to the world in general if the present depression does not pass away soon. The question of increased rate of exchange is causing a bit of a flurry in New Zealand, and no one can doubt that the rate of exchange of reasons for and against has increased somewhat. “There are no half-crowns in circulation in Fiji.” Well, there are not too many floating around here. There’s one thing that the National Expenditure Commission omitted in its report—to make a recommendation that every effort should be made to uphold the dignity of Parliament. A speaker at a social function in the South Island complains “that , the people of this country seem to fail in loyalty in some aspects. We put a Government in power and then turn it out.” When Parliament has to please nearly three-quarters of a million voters and each most vitally concerned with his individual interests or political party, can it be wondered that political honours are hardly won and easily lost? Some of the clergymen in England are protesting against the use of confetti at weddings, and want rice “or something that the birds will clean up afterwards.” But would this suit the Scotchman with a large family of daughters?